Published 2007.09.04
New mothers from outside of the European Union who have been recognized as political refugees have the right to municipal maternity benefits.
The clarification appeared in a message from INPS, thus confirming the extended interpretation of the law, according to which 'resident women, Italian or EU citizens or those holding a carta di soggiorno have the right to the benefits'. A literal interpretation of the law, in fact, would have excluded foreign citizens who have applied for or obtained asylum in Italy.
INPS recalled however that the Minister of Labour 'deemed that, as regards maternity benefits, non-EU citizens with the status of political refugees should have the same legal rights as Italian citizens.' 'Therefore, subject to the other requirements of the law, political refugees may take advantage of the benefits in question even in the absence of a carta di soggiorno.'
The municipal benefits are granted to mothers who do not have the right to any other type of maternity allowance, for example, as workers or, less frequently, to female workers who have earned less than the amount of the benefits. Furthermore, the family income must not exceed a certain fixed sum.
For 2007, the maximum amount of the allowance is €294.52 per month for five months, for a total of €1,472,60.
Applications should be submitted to the Municipality of residence within six months of the birth of the child or of the child’s entrance into the family in cases of adoption or pre-adoption foster care.
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